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UIF 2024 vs 2025 vs 2026: what changed, and what didn't

UC YEAR COMPARISON UIF 2024 vs 2025 vs 2026 uifcalculator.com — UIF made simple for South Africa

Every year, people search for the “UIF 2025 calculator” or “UIF changes 2026” expecting the numbers to have shifted. So here is the simplest possible answer, then the proof: UIF has not changed across 2024, 2025 or 2026. The figures you use are the same in all three years.

Side-by-side: UIF 2024 vs 2025 vs 2026

Figure202420252026
Employee contribution1%1%1%
Employer contribution1%1%1%
Monthly earnings ceilingR17,712R17,712R17,712
Annual ceilingR212,544R212,544R212,544
Max monthly contribution (each)R177.12R177.12R177.12
Benefit replacement rate38–60%38–60%38–60%
Max credit days365365365
Approx. max monthly benefit~R6,730~R6,730~R6,730

Every row is identical. That is not an error — it is the point.

Why nothing changed

The numbers that matter for UIF were last adjusted on 1 June 2021, when the ceiling rose to R17,712. Since then there has been no change, so 2024, 2025 and 2026 all share the same figures. The full timeline is on our UIF rates by year page.

So is a "2025 calculator" different from a "2026 calculator"?

No. Because the inputs are identical, a UIF calculator for 2024, 2025 or 2026 produces exactly the same answer. Our UIF calculator uses the current figures, which are valid for all three years — so you do not need to hunt for a year-specific version.

What people think changed each year

If a website shows a different ceiling or contribution for 2024, 2025 or 2026, it is out of date or wrong. The figure has been R17,712 since June 2021.

What this means for you

Whether you are budgeting for a contribution or estimating a payout, use the same numbers regardless of the year in your search. The 1% deduction, the R177.12 cap, and the 38–60% benefit scale apply across all three years. Run your own figures on the calculator, and read how UIF is calculated for the full method.

Could it change in future?

Yes — the Minister of Finance can adjust the ceiling, and history shows it moves rarely (three times in about twenty years). There is no confirmed change for 2027. When one comes, it is published in the Government Gazette, and we update these pages the moment it does.

Same figures, any year — open the free UIF calculator to work out your contribution or payout.

Frequently asked questions

No. The contribution rate (1% + 1%), the R17,712 monthly ceiling, the maximum R177.12 contribution and the 38–60% benefit scale are identical across 2024, 2025 and 2026. The last change was in June 2021.

No. Because the figures are unchanged, a 2025 UIF calculator and a 2026 UIF calculator give the same result. Our calculator uses the current figures, which apply to both years.

No. The ceiling has been R17,712 per month since 1 June 2021 and did not rise in 2024, 2025 or 2026, despite claims circulating online.

There is no confirmed change. The Minister can adjust the ceiling, but it has moved only three times in two decades. Any change would be published in the Government Gazette, and we would update our pages.

About the author

Haroon is the founder of UIFCalculator. He researches South African UIF, payroll and Department of Employment and Labour rules and turns the official wording into plain, practical guides. Connect on LinkedIn.

General information, not financial advice. Figures verified against official sources; confirm current rates with the Department of Employment and Labour.